The Holy Roman Empire was perhaps the most complex medieval state that ever existed. Its complicated structure often made it hard to govern. Interestingly enough, this also provided major opportunities for emperors skillful enough to navigate this state of affairs. On a good day, the Empire was Europe’s most powerful state. On a bad day, […]

Walls are meant to protect civilization. It doesn’t matter whether we think about ancient city walls or large defensive projects such as Hadrian’s Wall in Scotland or the Great Wall of China. We easily conjure images of civilized lands – beacons of progress as they are – that need protection from the ferocious savages of […]

Breton noblewoman Jeanne de Clisson turned against her sovereign, the king of France. She reinvented herself as a macabre and terrifying pirate. Read MorePrincess, Pirate, Privateer: the Lioness of Brittany Chinese general Zhang Xun was steadfast and untiring in his loyalty to the imperial regime. As a result, he was prepared to make great – […]

Skip to content Medieval Reporter Covering history’s most marvelous millennium Simon has a master’s degree in History and has written tens of articles on the Middle Ages. Next to building his blog at MedievalReporter.com, he has been published on WorldHistory.org, Ancient-Origins.net & TheFreelanceHistoryWriter.com. Baibars killed two of his sovereigns and defeated Mongols as well as […]

Skip to content William of Guelders was a five-time crusader, the first continental Knight of the Garter, and pilgrim to the Holy Land. He befriended the Teutonic Grand Master and the Holy Roman Emperor. Read MoreThe Crazy Crusader: William I of Guelders and Jülich What’s more medieval than a castle? The era’s most distinctive icon […]

The Crusades were a major military episode of the High Middle Ages. Thousands of European christians vowed to reconquer the Holy Land from its “infidel” muslim masters. Not every Crusade ended up in the Orient. One targeted the Byzantine Empire. Other expeditions went to Tunisia or the pagan lands of the Baltic. However, all campaigns […]

The Teutonic Order was a Catholic military order that built a state of great renown in Eastern Europe. Officially, its aim was to convert the pagans in the area (Lithuanians, Prussians, and so on). But the Order converted “by the sword” as well: it accrued a lot of territory by warring with these peoples. The […]

Burgundy was a battleground state in the heart of Western Europe. The Burgundians migrated into the Roman Empire during Late Antiquity. After the Roman protection faded, the Franks incorporated Burgundy into their kingdom. As that state fell apart into a western and eastern part, the Burgundians were able to resurface right in the middle. Caught […]

The Hundred Years’ War was a series of drawn-out conflicts in Western Europe. Taken together, these confrontations actually covered over 116 years. The central question was about the right to rule medieval France. The English and French kings disputed the other’s claim to the throne, leading to war. The rivalry ended up causing over a […]

For over three centuries, the Delhi Sultanate was one of the most powerful states in South Asia. It eventually encompassed nearly all of the lowlands of modern India and Pakistan. Its military was one of the few armies worldwide to keep the Mongols out. But halfway through its existence, the sultanate was attacked by Tamerlane, […]

We review stuff for you, so you can pick the best medieval material. Here’s our take on Matthew Strickland’s Henry the Young King. Quick facts Full title: Henry the Young King, 1155-1183 Shortlisted for the 2017 Wolfson History Prize Author: Matthew Strickland, professor in medieval history at the University of Glasgow. An expert on medieval […]

Skip to content We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Two large armies fought each other in a grand battle in 13th-century Flanders. The outcome had major consequences for France, England and the Holy Roman Empire. Read more Thought COVID was bad? People living through 536 experienced […]

The Knights Hospitaller formed an international network organization all over medieval Europe and the Middle East, with an uncanny resemblance to modern non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Although they were a religious military order, sworn to protect the weak and take care of the ill, the Order of the Hospitaller Knights grew from a “state within a […]

We review stuff for you, so you can pick the best medieval material. Here’s our take on Bart van Loo’s The Burgundians. Quick facts Full title: The Burgundians. A Vanished Empire Authors: Bart van Loo, Flemish author First published: 2020 (in Dutch) Publisher: Apollo / Head of Zeus / De Bezige Bij Number of pages […]